Luteolin protects dopaminergic neurons from inflammation-induced injury through inhibition of microglial activation.
Parkinson's disease is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by progressive degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra. Accumulating evidence has suggested that inflammation in the brain participates in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease. Luteolin, a polyphenolic compound found in foods of plant origin, belongs to the flavone subclass of flavonoids, and has been shown to possess antimutagenic, antitumorigenic, antioxidant and antiinflammatory properties. In this study, we found that luteolin concentration-dependently attenuated the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced decrease in [(3)H]dopamine uptake and loss of tyrosine hydroxylase-immunoreactive neurons in primary mesencephalic neuron-glia cultures. Moreover, luteolin also significantly inhibited LPS-induced activation of microglia and excessive production of tumor necrosis factor-alpha, nitric oxide and superoxide in mesencephalic neuron-glia cultures and microglia-enriched cultures. Our results demonstrate that luteolin may protect dopaminergic neurons from LPS-induced injury and its efficiency in inhibiting microglia activation may underlie the mechanism.
Chen
Han-Qing
HQ
State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, 1800 Lihu Road, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122, PR China.
Jin
Zheng-Yu
ZY
Wang
Xi-Jin
XJ
Xu
Xue-Ming
XM
Deng
Li
L
Zhao
Jian-Wei
JW
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D018920:Coculture Techniques; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism*; D007249:Inflammation / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D047311:Luteolin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008636:Mesencephalon; D017628:Microglia / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013481:Superoxides / Q000378:metabolism; D031446:Trillium / Q000378:metabolism; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase / Q000378:metabolism
D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D013481:Superoxides; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase; D047311:Luteolin; D004298:Dopamine